In Remembrance of Perdition---1/3 of chpt 1
by The Angel of Suzaku
Summary: A fanfic of Vincent...and the chance he has to save his tortured soul....


Alone he sits on the rooftops of Nibelheim. A dark angel...and watches the   
thunderstorm blankly. Subconsciously he is enjoying this spectacle of nature...so similar   
to his thoughts....but is too busy trying to decide his next move. The ends of his metal   
claw scrape on the tile of the roof and his cape blows back and flutters in the wind. The   
onyx hair snakes across the bruised sky. The long silence after the last rumble of thunder   
is broken by a swift jerk of his hand as he punches a hole straight through someone's   
ceiling...and then quickly regains his composure. Luckily no on is there...everyone left   
town in preparation for this storm... Vincent Valentine...an ember of mystery and   
heartache remains motionless as the crash and flash of lightning dies down... To intent is   
he on his thoughts.... *God....they don't even suspect.... foolish...just because meteor was   
avoided they think everything is fine....but I will never let them know that all is not   
over...this time it is my duty....I will pay for the sins of my past once and for all.... The   
dark angel descends from the heights of the deserted town and slips off into the shadows   
to face his destiny....   
  
  
In another part of the world the rest of the motley group of heroes are working on Barret's   
Memorial Rebuilding Project in Midgar....Cloud and Tifa are working hard side-by-side   
clearing away the debris...RedVIII has arranged to go to Cosmo Canyon and get some   
more volunteers, Yuffie is working with the injured and sick, Cait Sith is playing with the   
homeless and orphaned children at the once abandoned playground, and Cid....well....he's   
trying to fix the broken irrigation system and turn the air a new shade of blue with his   
profanity...as usual.   
  
Cloud: Hey Cid! How is it going over there? If people are going to come back, running   
water will be the first thing they need!   
  
Cid: Well @#$%! What do you think I am? A @#$%*^$ MIRACLE WORKER?? It'll be   
done when it's @&*^%(% done!   
  
hits the main water system with a wrench...oddly enough it springs to life....   
  
Cid: Holy #$^%! Hey Spiky-@$$! I fixed it!   
  
Cloud: *annoyed* Thanks....   
  
Tifa: *smiles* You know, you'll never live that one down...   
  
Cloud: Yeah I knew that...it's just that it reminds me of him...I can't believe I let another   
one slip through my fingers...   
  
Tifa:*wraps arms around his shoulders* I know...it reminds me of him too..*turns face   
away so he won't see her tears* *takes a deep breath* But you know it wasn't your   
fault..when The Highwind crashed...he...he wasn't so lucky...and*voice falters*...and this   
is why we are doing this renovation of Midgar...to remember him and everyone else who   
gave there lives...and help rebuild the ones of the people who are left...*lets go and goes   
back to work*   
  
Cloud: Thank you...I....*trails off*   
  
RedVIII comes racing up looking frantic   
  
Tifa: What's wrong Nanaki?   
  
RedVIII: *huff* Th-The Highwind...it's gone!   
  
Cid: What...the....#$^%&*% HELL DO YOU MEAN THE HIGHWIND IS GONE??   
  
Cloud: Ok...Cid just calm down. There has to be a reasonable explanation...   
  
Cid: Reasonable my @$$! My Highwind has been stolen and when I find him I'll rip out   
his innards with a #@$%^&% grapefruit spoon and feed them to a pack of rabid dogs!!   
  
Tifa: We are not going to get anywhere by yelling, Cid. *walks over to Nanaki* *turns to   
face them* It's getting dark...let's go inside the church and hear the whole story. Cait Sith   
and Yuffie should be in there...maybe they know something...   
  
The sun sets over Midgar, and the brazen colors it leaves in it's wake stain the sky. Tifa   
and Red VIII walk side-by-side to the church. Despite Cloud's protests, they must sleep   
there for a few nights...the constant reminder of their fallen comrades thickens the air.   
Cid huffs off in it's general direction... But Cloud lags behind...looking up at the   
stars...trying not to remember...to feel a little less responsible...but he can't.....a loud voice   
breaks him out of his reveries   
  
Red VIII: Hey Cloud! What are you doing over there? C'mon! We have to figure this out!   
  
Tifa: He's right...and it's getting chilly...let's hurry..*runs over to him and smiles*   
  
Cloud:...   
  
Tifa: *frowns* What is it?   
  
Cloud: Nothing...nevermind...   
  
Tifa: It's ok...I understand..you don't have to say a word. *smiles *   
  
Cid: %^&*$%^ $%^#!! What are you guys doing back there?? THE H-I-G-H-W-I-N-D   
is GONE!! And you two are back there making out!!   
  
Cloud: *glare*   
  
Tifa: *blush*   
  
The night is cold and eerily silent. The wreckage from the close encounter with meteor   
seem to have the echoes of screams retained in them.... Then the church comes into   
sight...glowing with the light of a cheerful blaze inside. Red VIII and Cid run inside to   
the warmth....But Cloud and Tifa stay out a second longer than is needed...looking into   
each other's eyes and understanding....   
  
Yuffie: Hey you two! C'mon in already!   
  
The cheerful blaze in the middle of he church lit up the dusty walls and the forgotten   
flowerbed   
  
Tifa: *sits down by the fire* So...I'm sure you all heard about The Highwind...   
  
Cid: Damn right they heard! I swear if I ever catch the son of a-   
  
Cait Sith: *smiles mischievously* Didn't your mother ever tell you not to swear in   
church?   
  
Cid:??...!!!...You...*takes a deep breathe*...hmph...   
  
Cloud: *sits down next to Red XIII* *takes his sword out and begins to sharpen it* So   
Nanaki, what exactly happened?   
  
Red XIII: As you know I was going to head to Cosmo Canyon for supplies and   
volunteers. When I got to the valley outside of Midgar where we left it...it was gone. The   
crew was there, though. They said they went out drinking and came back to find it had   
disappeared. *turns to Cid* They were kind of...um...afraid of how you were going to   
take this...   
  
Cid: *glares blankly at the fire* Smart guys...   
  
Cloud: *finishes sharpening his sword and sheathes it* So...I'm assuming that no one   
here took it...   
  
Silence...everyone turns to look at Yuffie...   
  
Yuffie: *startled* Right guys! Like I would sneak out to take a joy ride in The Highwind!   
I get motion sick just LOOKING at the stupid thing...   
  
Tifa: *smiles* We're sorry, Yuffie...of course you wouldn't...*pointedly glares at   
everyone else as they look slightly down*   
  
A comfortable silence creeps through the room, with only the sound of the crackling fire   
to break it   
  
Cloud: *sigh* Obviously everyone is too tired to identify the person responsible...much   
less the solution. For now, lets just get some sleep. Tomorrow we will figure this out.   
  
The cold and twinkling stars seem to him to laugh almost mockingly at him through the   
roof. Somehow his sleeping bag was laid out right next to the abandoned flower garden.   
It certainly was the last place he wanted to be. Soon though, the tranquil moon and soft   
translucent clouds calmed his thoughts and lulled him to sleep.   
  
*Cloud...*   
  
*Cloud...can you hear me?*   
  
*Oh please let this work...*   
  
*Cloud!*   
  
That last desperate plea transported his subconscious from his troubles to a dark and   
somehow pulsating place...somewhere...he immediately draws his sword and stands   
ready.   
  
Cloud: ...   
  
Suddenly ropes of luminescent green appear from nowhere, streaking across the ''sky''.   
And out from the tepid glow created by this strange phenomena...steps Aeris...   
  
Staring in utter astonishment he gapes at her. The sword drops from his fingertips and   
clatters to the ground. He runs to her as she floats down smiling softly.   
  
Cloud: *holds her glistening form* What...how...?   
  
Aeris: *begins to cry* I-I thought I would never see you again...or hold you again...This   
will be the last time...   
  
Cloud: *closes his eyes and holds her closer* But why?   
  
Aeris:I am...no longer the Aeris you knew. I am the Guardian of the Lifestream. And I   
came to you to tell you that this planet, in fact maybe this universe is in peril again...   
  
Cloud: *pulls away gently and looks at her intently* How?   
  
Aeris: *shifts eyes downward* I'm not sure. The Lifestream is like a living creature, and   
as its Guardian I can feel it...and it is afraid...terrified. I know this. I just don't know why.   
That is for you to find out.   
  
Cloud:...I'm guessing you can't come with us...   
  
Aeris:...*tears trickle down her cheeks* No, I'm sorry...   
  
Cloud:...I-I understand...   
  
The beautiful angel of the Lifestream begins to sparkle and fade away...   
  
Aeris: Oh, and before I go...you need to pay more attention to the living...because if you   
don't, she won't be there for you someday...Goodbye...and good luck...We are all   
depending on you...   
  
And she disappears into the darkness   
  
Cloud: Aeris...Goodbye...   
  
A single teardrop hits his forgotten sword...   
  
  
While Cloud struggles aimlessly for repose...a shadowy figure rises silently amidst the   
snores in the deepest part of night, and slips out of the church. The stars twinkle gaily in   
quintessential naivety...of their plight...   
  
The lovely golden sun peeks timidly over the ruins of the city of Midgar and shines   
through the gap in the roof. Dust motes dance freely around the dying flowers, and wakes   
a warrior resting among them. Cloud opens his eyes slowly, and thinks over the   
bittersweet encounter of last night.   
  
Cloud: *Aeris is right...* He sits up slowly and rests his head on his knees *The living...I   
could lose her...I should tell her...* Cloud stands up and edges past his sleeping friends to   
Tifa's sleeping bag. He kneels down and tries to make out her form in the dim light. *Tell   
her that I...* He places his hand gently on her shoulder...to find it empty   
  
Cloud:...!! Everyone wake up! Tifa's gone!   
  
Yuffie: *props up on one elbow* *yawns* What do you mean...*stretch* gone?   
  
Cloud: I mean she's...*sees a piece of paper on her pillow* She left a note...   
  
Cid: *sits up and lights a cigar* So...what's it say? *mumbles* S***...she'd have to pick   
the one night I get a good sleep to be mysterious...   
  
Cait Sith: Well go on...read it!   
  
Red XIII: *walks over next to Cloud* Cloud...   
  
His hands strain against the paper of the note. His knuckles become bloodless and bone   
white. Cloud steps over to a shaft of sunlight penetrating the dimness and reads aloud:   
  
Dear all of my friends,   
I know where The Highwind is and why it was taken. Listen, please don't follow me. This   
is going to sound crazy, but this will go better if you just wait for me in Midgar. Just to be   
sure I took your only car. I'm sorry, but when this is over I think you'll understand. Please   
don't worry about us, we'll be fine.   
  
I'll miss you guys,   
  
Tifa Lockhart   
  
Red XIII: Hmmmm....We?...Us?...Who could she be...?   
  
Cloud:...*eyes grow wide*...Has anyone seen Vincent??   
  
Cait Sith: I haven't seen that introverted guy for days...   
  
Yuffie: GAWD! So Vincent's gone too. Is anyone else noticing a pattern here?   
  
Cid:.....Vincent....took my Highwind....If there is even a SCRATCH on the bottom of   
Lady Luck's high heels...He'll regret it....*puffs on cigar*   
  
Cloud:....I...saw Aeris last night. She told me that the planet was in danger again... several   
startled faces turn quickly towards him. Cid's cigar drops from his open lips and falls to   
the floor. We have to go after her. I don't know exactly who, how, or why, but this isn't   
just their fight. It's all of ours...   
  
Red XIII: You saw...Aeris....?   
  
Cloud:...Yes...But that's not important right now. We have to think about the living....We   
have to find Tifa and face whatever is coming.   
  
Cait Sith: Well saying that is all well and good, but exactly how are we going to do that?   
In case you forgot, she took the only car we had.   
  
Cloud:....Leave it to me...I have an idea...   
  
The open, shinning face of the moon sets quickly as the stars fade into brilliant color. The   
engine of a car drowns out the lazy sound of early morning crickets...and long, chocolate   
hair streaks the sky...  
  
Tifa: She places her right foot on the gas and rests one hand on the wheel   
*Vincent...damn him. I should've known he would go off on his own. He's gonna hate it   
that I came. He doesn't know that I know. That night he slept next to me when I was hot   
with fever. He...he protected me...and warmed me. *laughs softly*...talks in his sleep...   
Never would have thought such a silent guy could talk so much. And I just layed there   
and cried. His thoughts are so troubled. He knew what was coming...God that had to be   
so hard for him. And it was for me, too, the next morning when I knew...and was cuddled   
softly in his arms... Vincent, you should have asked for help. Dammit! I can't blame you   
for not asking, though. He might forgive me since I didn't tell the others. They won't be   
able to come after us since I took the only ca-- Oh no, The Chocobos! I remember   
now...Cloud has a gold and two blues harnessed in Corneo's old stables...He'll remember,   
too. I don't have much time...But I'll be there for you. Like you were for me... If anything   
happens to you I'll never forgive myself...*  
  
And she speeds off into the sunrise. Her next means of transportation is at Junon; the   
submarine.   
  



End file.
